Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 514 You came at the right time

The young ladies in the manor are all incredibly clever, and even though Yue Ling is meticulous and plans things out carefully, he cannot take care of them all perfectly.

Especially clever girls like Xue Baoqin, who, in a moment of intense atmosphere, half-heartedly agreed, which became her capital to show off in front of Xue Baochai, thus attracting Xue Baochai to come in front of her for comparison today.

It's really hard to keep everything balanced, especially since there are so many bowls of water in Yue Ling's mansion. Apart from the one that's balanced on his head, even if he had three heads and six arms, he still couldn't keep up with the rest.

Seeing Yue Ling's hesitant expression, Xue Baochai learned to press him relentlessly. Her eyes were filled with deep affection as she stared intently at Yue Ling without blinking. After a long while, she finally spoke, "If Your Excellency continues to be perfunctory with me today, then I will not get up. Even if Sister Lin comes, I will not get up."

Xue Baochai, for the first time ever, started to act coquettishly, and Yue Ling simply couldn't resist.

It wasn't that she was voluptuous, but rather that the rich fragrance emanating from her body was enough to make one's blood boil. Furthermore, her kneeling posture revealed her inner lining through the round neckline of her dress.

Within this mansion, aside from the exceptionally talented Xueyan, she was considered among the top performers.

Swallowing hard, Yue Ling turned her head away awkwardly and said, "Let's get up and talk first. It's not good if someone sees us."

"Is the Marquis afraid of being seen?" Xue Baochai frowned slightly, cupped Yue Ling's cheek, and looked him straight in the eye. "When the Marquis was storing the zither here, did you ever think that someone would see you?"

Yue Ling felt guilty and conflicted. Knowing that she couldn't win by being stubborn, she had no choice but to reveal her true feelings.

"To be honest, I treat all of you in the manor equally. I have never intended to make things difficult for any of you, nor have I ever intended to let any of you go."

"Now that things are in this state within the manor, do you think I would drive you out?"

To be honest, Yue Ling treated all other women the same way after marrying Lin Daiyu.

Most of the young girls in the manor were rescued by him; he planted this seed and reaped the fruit of his actions.

If he were to actually let a girl leave the manor, given his reputation, that would be cutting off her path to survival.

Xue Baochai's face flushed. She knew in her heart that apart from Lin Daiyu, there was no girl more special to Yue Ling.

Even so, that's enough. At least Yue Ling didn't exclude anyone or deliberately embarrass her. If she really tried to compete, that would be ungrateful.

Slowly lowering her head, Xue Baochai felt shy and unsure how to respond to Yue Ling's sincere feelings.

But when Yue Ling looked up again, she realized that there were already three people standing in front of the door.

From left to right, their heights decrease sequentially, but the bewildered expressions on their faces are all identical, and their feet are dangling on the threshold, unsure whether to go in or out.

Xue Baochai struggled with her inner turmoil. When she looked up at Yue Ling, she found his eyes were vacant.

When she turned her head and followed his gaze, she realized that she was out of luck today; someone had actually come.

"what!"

With a startled cry, Xue Baochai jumped off Yue Ling like a rabbit, smoothed her skirt, and stood hunched over to the side, her chest hunched and head bowed. If there had been a crack in the ground, she would have loved to hide inside.

So shameful!

"Miss Yingchun, Miss Tanchun, Miss Xichun, what brings you here?"

Yue Ling scratched his head and got up to welcome the three of them in.

The three of them lifted their feet at the same time, but Tan Chun took a step forward, while Ying Chun and Xi Chun both took a step back.

Suddenly realizing something was wrong, Tan Chun hurriedly took two steps back and stood behind her sisters, smiling awkwardly.

"Sorry to disturb Lord Marquis and Sister Bao, we've come at an inopportune time..."

The three of them had been discussing how to take their relationship with Yue Ling to the next level.

First, Qin Keqing announced the official start of the ranking competition within the mansion; then Xueyan, who was favored by her father, seized the first-class merit; and recently, Xue Baoqin's unusual smile has been impossible to suppress all day long.

They then planned to get acquainted with Yue Ling.

But little did they know, they already knew Yue Ling's intentions before they even entered the door, thus achieving their goal.

So Yue Ling treated them all the same? Does that mean the three sisters were really going to share one husband?

The shyness in the three women's hearts was self-evident.

So much so that Tan Chun's earlier act of standing out from the crowd and taking a step forward failed to arouse Ying Chun and Xi Chun's in-depth investigation.

"It's not that the timing is bad, is there something you need?"

"us……"

"us……"

The three women looked at each other, unsure how to respond to Yue Ling's question.

In the end, it was the more cheerful Tan Chun who, with her cheeks flushed like red lanterns, gave Xue Baochai a silly grin before stepping forward and saying in a crisp voice, "I've been busy with things in the workshop lately, and Xi Chun has also been drawing blueprints. Only Second Sister hasn't had much to do. She just occasionally goes to study Buddhist scriptures and foreign languages, but she hasn't been able to help much in the manor. That's why I'm so uneasy. So I came to ask the Marquis if there's any work I can give her."

Indeed, the three girls each have their own unique charm, but if it comes to assigning tasks to Er Mutou, Yue Ling hasn't decided on any suitable roles for her yet.

The young ladies in the manor are all clever. Not counting Qin Keqing and Xue Baoqin, even the maids Qingwen, Xiangling, and Yuanyang are all exceptionally bright.

But on second thought, a mild-mannered nature can still be useful in some situations.

Yue Ling quickly changed his mind and immediately comforted them, saying, "You are not some kind of useful objects. It is not necessary for each of you to be used to your fullest purpose in the mansion. It would be good to hold poetry gatherings and have fun together in your spare time."

Seeing that Yingchun's eager eyes suddenly dimmed, Yue Ling couldn't bear it and added, "There really isn't anything for you to do right now. To be honest, you don't really have any skills in business. If I give it to you and you don't do it well, I'm afraid you'll get stuck on something."

"However, with your gentle and patient nature, it would be good to entrust the children in the manor to you as they grow up. The girls can learn music, chess, calligraphy and painting from you, so they won't become wild boys like Sister Yun."

Mentioning Shi Xiangyun immediately broke the ice in the room. Even Xue Baochai, who was standing against the wall, couldn't help but cover her mouth and smile, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

Because Shi Xiangyun is now constantly training in the martial arts arena, her skin has been tanned to a wheat color, making her completely different from other girls with fair and delicate skin.

After laughing, the girls seemed to remember something and lowered their heads shyly.

It was only because Yue Ling's tone just now made it sound as if she was going to have many babies in the mansion.

If they really do have many children, the burden will likely fall on them as well.

Yue Ling also realized something was wrong and added, "Don't overthink it. Yunyu, Huaizhu, and Xueyan are already carrying three children in the manor. It would be difficult to manage any more."

Yingchun, who was not good with words, suddenly broke out of her silence and exclaimed, "I can give birth!"

"Huh?" The girls looked at Yingchun in astonishment.

Meeting her sisters' gazes, Yingchun suddenly realized and said, "Pah, pah, pah, I can bring..."

Even though Yingchun tried her best to cover up and make up for her mistake, the room gradually fell into an awkward atmosphere.

Xue Baochai stepped forward, put her arm around Yingchun's shoulder, and said, "Alright, alright, sisters, the Marquis has already helped to ease your worries, so we won't bother the Marquis with his business anymore."

Hand in hand with the three sisters, Xue Baochai walked out of the study, glancing back with lingering reluctance.

Seeing Yue Ling standing under the corridor watching them go, she smiled gently, blinked, and turned back.

Yue Ling, however, seemed to have been shot in the chest with an arrow. Clutching his trembling heart, he slowly retreated back into the study.

"Sister Bao, what did you want to see the Marquis about just now?"

Xi Chun raised her eyebrows and asked curiously.

"We are all the same as you."

Tan Chun shook her head. "You were just lying on top of the Marquis. We're not the same."

As he spoke, he walked around to Xue Baochai's side and gently sniffed her neck.

Xue Baochai was very embarrassed and teased, "You little rascal, what mischief have you gotten yourself into now?"

Tan Chun clicked her tongue and said, "I want to smell if you have the Marquis's scent on you, but Sister Bao's fragrance is too strong, I can't smell anything at all."

Xue Baochai poked Tan Chun's forehead and said irritably, "I think you're also in love. You didn't dare to approach the Marquis earlier, but now you're just making sarcastic remarks to me."

Tan Chun, however, was not to be outdone and retorted sarcastically, "I certainly don't have Baochai's guts. If Baochai had a tail, it would have stood up just now!"

The corridor echoed with the sounds of little girls chasing and playing, and passersby joined in with smiles, creating a joyful atmosphere.

……

"Grand Secretary Chai, it is late at night. I wonder if there is something important you wish to discuss?"

In the Crown Prince's residence, several palace lanterns were lit to illuminate the study.

Adhering to the etiquette due to a student, he offered firewood and sat on the seat of honor.

The struggle for the throne is no longer a secret, and the power dynamics of all sides are practically out in the open.

As the eldest son of the legitimate wife, Liu An wanted to inherit the throne, so he inevitably needed to rely on the power of the civil official group. Therefore, he humbled himself and valued Chai Pu more.

Chai Pu did not disappoint him. He went straight to the point as soon as he opened his mouth: "Recently, someone has inquired about the Second Prince's whereabouts. There is solid evidence that the Prince of Beijing and the Prince of Zhongshun have put aside their differences and are jointly supporting the Second Prince's expedition."

Liu An's face immediately turned ugly, but he forced himself to remain composed, poured tea for Chai Pu, and listened silently to what would happen next.

Chai Pu sighed deeply. His weathered face, illuminated by the palace lanterns, showed a mottled and aged look, casting a shadow over Liu An's heart.

"Needless to say, Prince Zhongshun is a martial arts fanatic and naturally gets along well with the Second Prince."

"As for the Prince of Beijing's mansion, the noble lineage has been severely punished by His Majesty and the Duke of Dingguo recently, losing most of its power. If they want to continue their lineage, they can only rely on military achievements, which coincides with the current Second Prince's wishes."

"It was their shared interests that brought them together. Now, it is indeed very disadvantageous for Your Highness."

Liu An swayed and slumped heavily into his chair, somewhat losing confidence. He said in a deep voice, "Grand Secretary Chai, do I still have a chance? Military power is more important than anything else. If my second brother really gets them to join forces, how can we resist?"

Chai Pu nodded emphatically and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, we still have a chance. The Four Kings and Eight Dukes have been squeezed out by the Duke of Dingguo and are no longer a united front. For example, Wang Ziteng, the commander of the Beijing Garrison, was originally a member of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, but he became a tool in the Duke of Dingguo's hands. First, the Rongguo Mansion was confiscated, and then the Baoling Marquis Mansion was also confiscated. Now he is abandoned by all the nobles."

"Your Highness should also know that the Duke of Dingguo is arrogant and disdainful. Even if Prince Teng is truly doing his job, he is not close to him. Therefore, he has no choice but to seek another patron."

The eldest prince nodded as if he understood, and seemed tempted. "Then can I be his backer?"

Chai Pu nodded, "As long as Your Highness can promise him wealth and honor once everything is done, he will have no other choice but to be loyal to Your Highness."

The eldest prince hesitated for a moment, but the insignia on his chest could not escape Chai Pu's eyes. He knew that the prince had already fallen for him and could not even suppress the joy in his heart.

In any case, we can only feel at ease with soldiers in the capital.

After a few breaths, the eldest prince composed himself and slowly said, "Then, according to Elder Chai's suggestion, what should I do? Would it be acceptable to give him a token that can prove his identity to win people's hearts?"

Chai Pu shook his head and said, "The capital is currently in turmoil, and a mere token will not be enough to convince him. If His Highness could leave behind a piece of calligraphy, it would be more convincing than any object."

The eldest prince nodded slightly, summoned a trusted aide to bring him writing materials, and began to write in front of Chai Pu.

"To General Wang Ziteng: The capital is in turmoil, with undercurrents surging. I find myself in a precarious situation. I must act with the spirit of a warrior and take decisive action to break down the old and establish the new."

"I have always known of your loyalty and righteousness, General. You have commanded the capital garrison for ten years and are truly a pillar of the nation. If the mandate of heaven is upon me in the future, I will entrust you with important matters to ensure the eternal prosperity of your family and the glory of your descendants. Now, my two younger brothers are on a distant expedition and our father is unwell. I hope that you, General, will strengthen the army and keep a close watch on any dissent."

"If there is any unrest in the capital, the nation should be put first. Help the orphan maintain stability and quell the chaos, and the merit will last for generations. This matter is urgent, so please proceed with caution and secrecy."

He wrote it in one go, fluently and effortlessly, as if he had the whole text in his mind. Even Chai Pu, watching from the side, couldn't help but praise his literary talent.

"Your Highness is quick-witted and writes with great skill. Your words are profound and insightful, and you are sure to be moved when Prince Teng sees them and will be willing to serve Your Highness."

The eldest prince waved his hand and said, "I dare not accept such praise from Grand Secretary Chai."

When Chai Pu saw the sentence "His Majesty is unwell," he couldn't help but ask, "Has Your Highness been to the palace recently?"

The eldest prince truthfully reported, "I have diligently performed my morning and evening greetings without fail, and I serve my father medicine at his bedside every noon."

Chai Pu nodded slightly, then said with emotion, "Your Highness's filial piety is as clear as the sun and moon, and this throne is rightfully yours. It is a pity that His Majesty has neglected his health three times for the sake of the court, and has now fallen ill. It is truly lamentable."

When the emperor was mentioned, the eldest prince was also very sad, his face showing sorrow and tears welling up in his eyes.

Chai Pu then spoke again, saying, "However, Your Highness must still prioritize the well-being of the nation. If the Second Prince were to act swiftly and decisively, reenacting the events of the previous dynasty at Xuande Gate, Your Highness must prepare accordingly and lest the same mistakes be repeated."

Liu An was secretly alarmed, "Grand Secretary Chai, could my second brother really do something so disloyal and unfilial?"

Chai Pu nodded. "History books only record the victors. The information we have now makes it highly likely."

Liu An, unwilling to give up, said, "But the Duke of Dingguo is still here. How dare he act recklessly?"

Chai Pu suddenly looked up, "Has Your Highness considered what would happen if the Duke of Dingguo were not here?"

(End of this chapter)